display of eternal love, the manifestation of the greatest and sweetest of all beauties, and an assurance of an interest in the greatest of all sensations, are attended with the choicest of all indulgences, meets with cold and unsuitable returns-on this account many sore conflicts come on to make us doubt of an interest in these things, when a comfortable assurance of them is not highly prized, nor properly

valued.

Solomon provoked God by idols, and God provoked him by Jeroboam. This raging jealousy puts things in their proper light, and makes them appear in their own worth; and it serves also to make the unity of the Spirit and communion of the saints of more worth than all the ties of nature, or the corrupt affections of flesh and blood. I have in my poor way remembered thee.

God bless thee.

Q. in the Corner.

LETTER XVII.

TO THE SAME.

My Dear Friend informs me that she is going to search the Scriptures, and to compare the Old Testament with the New. At this she

will perform wonders, for I have known the time when I was engaged in the same fightthat as fast as I shifted my ground the devil shifted his. When I had made a thing clear by the word of God, he attacked the word also, and told me that the scriptures were a device of his to puzzle, baffle, and confound mankind. When I flew to the Divine Being, he told me as the fool says in the Psalms, "There is no God." When I fled to the works of creation, and asked, Who made these things? he told me plainly that he did. When I asked, Who made me? he answered in the affirmative, that he did. When I asked why men worshipped God, he told me he received worship and I must pray to him, for there was no other to pray to-thus was my mind followed, harassed, confused and confounded; but not one of these lies could fasten on my conscience, though I was dumb and without an answer.

Nothing, my dear Friend, can keep us upon this ground and in this conflict, but the almighty power of God, and by that power are we kept through faith; "I will water it every moment, and I will keep it night and day." The following passages from the Old Testament and the New, are sufficient for faith; "Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace," Isai. ix. 6. "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning

and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty," Rev. i. 8. "The Word was with God, and the Word was God; all things were made by him," &c. John, i. 1. 3. God, the mighty God, the Almighty, the First, the Last, and the Creator of all things is, and ever must be the object of worship, of hope, of confidence, and of all trust-but as I before said,: nothing but divine power can keep a soul in the fiery trial.

Holy Adam fell, and valiant Peter fell, and wo be to every one that is alone when he falleth, Eccles. iv. 10. God's power alone must keep us if we are kept, and this power must be fetched in by constant prayer; "Watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation." And again, "This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."

Ever yours,

W. H. S. S.

LETTER XVIII.

TO THE SAME.

I HOPE my dear Friend caught no cold at her return from Cricklewood. The weather now is wonderfully mild, which suits the inva

old age.

lids, and helps off the long, dreary, and cold winter, which is so fatal to the infirmities of "The outward man," says Paul, "decays, but the inward man is renewed day by day." This one particular I have long watched, and I have perceived it in the following things: by the activity or inactivity of faith, by the risings and fallings of hope, by fresh joy after sorrow, by meekness and humility after a dead and stupid frame, by fresh rays of light after gross darkness, by sweet peace after disquietude, and by a glowing love after many hard heart-risings.

I know of nothing at present that shews the going on of the good work like this. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of all grace, the planter of all grace, and the life of every fruit which he produces; and hence he is called a wind to move his own plants, and to make them emit their scent, their savour, and their odours. He is called dew to refresh and enliven, water also to moisten and give rooting. But upon love and joy he operates as the Spirit of burning; warming, enflaming, and enlarging; and these to me are the most sweet. These are a few scraps to exercise, amuse, ponder over, and make out-but after all it is but little we know of what we have got within. THE COALHEAVER.

LETTER XIX.

TO THE SAME.

I AM Sorry to find my poor Friend is so unwell, should be glad to see her on Friday if able to come, if not send word, and to-morrow morning I will come and see you. These are not times of refreshing, but of trial-hold fast, I long to see thee. The good Lord is still with the poor Coalheaver, and will favour them that cleave to himself in them that he sends, for he has made us one in love, one among ourselves, and one in him, that we may be perfect in one. Ever Yours,

W. H. S. S.

LETTER XX.

TO THE SAME.

My Dear Sister in Christ Jesus,

I AM glad at my heart and thankful to my God for his goodness to thee and to thine husband, hoping that his faithfulness and truth in delivering, in bringing into trouble and